Over 2,000 women contact the Cervical Check helpline

More than 2,000 women have called the Cervical Check helpline that was set up over the weekend for women with concerns about their smear test results, after the case of Vicky Phelan who was incorrectly given the all-clear.

The line will stay open until 6 o’clock this evening and the HSE says call-backs are underway.

It also claims its audit of 206 individual results is nearing completion will engage today with all women still awaiting contact.

The Chairman of the National Association of General Practitioners, Dr Andrew Jordan, is urging women to continue to believe in the cervical check system.

“We’re carrying out roughly 250,000 smears per annum, we’re after reducing the incidents of cervical cancer by 7%,” said Dr Jordan.

“The other thing is, it is important not to forget the HPV vaccination programme here because the HPV vaccine, it has the potential to wipe out cervical cancer.”